nd must correspond with. It is far easier for men to frame in their
minds an idea, which shall be the standard to which they will give the
name justice; with which pattern so made, all actions that agree shall
pass under that denomination, than, having seen Aristides, to frame an
idea that shall in all things be exactly like him; who is as he is, let
men make what idea they please of him. For the one, they need but know
the combination of ideas that are put together in their own minds; for
the other, they must inquire into the whole nature, and abstruse hidden
constitution, and various qualities of a thing existing without them.

18. And is the only way in which the meaning of mixed Modes can be made
known.

Another reason that makes the defining of mixed modes so necessary,
especially of moral words, is what I mentioned a little before, viz.
that it is the only way whereby the signification of the most of them
can be known with certainty. For the ideas they stand for, being for
the most part such whose component parts nowhere exist together, but
scattered and mingled with others, it is the mind alone that collects
them, and gives them the union of one idea: and it is only by words
enumerating the several simple ideas which the mind has united, that we
can make known to others what their names stand for; the assistance of
the senses in this case not helping us, by the proposal of sensible
objects, to show the ideas which our names of this kind stand for, as
it does often in the names of sensible simple ideas, and also to some
degree in those of substances.

19. In Substances, both by showing and by defining.

III. Thirdly, for the explaining the signification of the names of
substances, as they stand for the ideas we have of their distinct
species, both the forementioned ways, viz. of showing and defining, are
requisite, in many cases, to be made use of. For, there being ordinarily
in each sort some leading qualities, to which we suppose the other ideas
which make up our complex idea of that species annexed, we forwardly
give the specific name to that thing wherein that characteristic mark is
found, which we take to be the most distinguishing idea of that species.
These leading or characteristical (as I may call them) ideas, in the
sorts of animals and vegetables, are (as has been before remarked,
ch vi. Section 29 and ch. ix. Section 15) mostly figure; and in inanimate
bodies, colour; and in some, both together.